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Assessment of chronic snorers
D G Golding-Wood1, M J Brockbank, A R Swanston
1Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Throat, Nose & Ear Hospital, London.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
|June 1, 1990
Summary
Accurate assessment is crucial for chronic snorers before surgery. Combining trained observation, pulse oximetry, and nasendoscopy helps distinguish obstructive sleep apnea from simple snoring and guides treatment.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Sleep Medicine
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Chronic snoring is a common issue with varied causes.
- Identifying underlying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is critical for effective management.
- Predicting OSA in snorers based on history or physical exam alone is unreliable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a combined diagnostic approach for assessing chronic snorers.
- To differentiate between simple snorers and those with obstructive sleep apnea.
- To determine the anatomical level of airway obstruction in snorers.
Main Methods:
- Trained observation and patient history.
- Pulse oximetry for sleep screening.
- Fibreoptic nasendoscopy with Müller maneuver.
Main Results:
- The combined method reliably distinguished between simple snorers and OSA patients.
- The diagnostic approach identified the specific site of airway obstruction.
- Study involved the management of 71 chronic snorers.
Conclusions:
- A multi-modal assessment is effective for managing chronic snorers.
- Conservative management should be prioritized, addressing factors like obesity and alcohol use.
- Surgical intervention for snoring should be considered after optimizing conservative measures and identifying the obstruction level.